CARIBBEAN TEACHERS FOR THE FUTURE: “A Tri-partite Policy Dialogue Forum to review the status of Teachers in the Caribbean towards achieving quality Education for All” April 4-6, 2006 Republic of Trinidad and Tobago By Dr Banjoko

Content of Presentation  Who we are  Context  Concept  Process/Mechanism  Outcomes  Challenges  What can be done in the Caribbean CaribRecruit: A model for capacity building in the Educational Sector?

Who we are 1 of 3  Launched in 2002, www.findajobinafrica.com  Programme of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Commonwealth Business Council and the Commonwealth Secretariat  Mobilizes skills and human resource capacity building in and outside of Africa and the African Diaspora towards capacity building in Africa through investment in areas such as remittances  Grassroots’ dissemination of relevant information & contribute to policy and operational issues/topics e.g. NEPAD’s newsletter, International Development policy "When AfricaRecruit was launched in 2002, I provided an endorsement in the firm belief that its objectives were not only noble but also realizable. Since then, the initiative has performed creditably and become a key part of the NEPAD programme to mobilize quality skills for Africa." His Excellency President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria

Who we are 2 of 3  Platform for debate and best practice dissemination  Surveys and analysis of the Diaspora  Uses information technology and other modern communication techniques  Provide information about opportunities in Africa to African’s in the Diaspora and about Diaspora to Africa  Promote reforms -more attractive for professionals and technocrats to consider pursuing careers in Africa as well as encourage investments by the Diaspora

Who we are 3 of 3  2 Diaspora Investment Forum’s  2 Sierra Leone Diaspora Consultative Forum  5 successful HR forums  Healthcare mobilisation forum  Developed a regional wide HR E-Newsletter  Database of Skills, Advertised over 12,000 jobs in 5 years  3 International career/recruitment fair’s inside and outside Africa  Return of over 500 Africans in the Diaspora/year and skills within Africa  Informed policy formulation inside and outside Africa

Intellectual flight-The United Nations calls brain drain one of the greatest threats to economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. In many ways, the loss of skills could be counted as Africa’s foreign assistance to the developed world! Departures… Between  Africa lost over 60,000 middle-level and high-level managers.  About 23,000 lecturers/yr from African universities emigrate  Every year 23,000 graduates leave Africa  The emigration of technically skilled people has left 20,000 scientists and engineers in Africa, servicing a population of about 600m

One of Africa’s greatest offshore asset  Approximately 40% of all African professionals have left the continent's shores over the decades (20,000/yr in the 90’s)  Approximately 3.8 millions Africans live outside Africa mainly in Europe and North America. Over 50% boast tertiary and or postgraduate qualifications.  AfricaRecruit survey in 2003 showed that over half of the 1 st generation Diaspora respondents were educated in Africa Approximately 75% had postgraduate qualifications 54% left Africa for career and professional developments 67% would like to return to Africa within the next 0-5 years

“The numerous current initiatives in Africa require high-level scientific technological and managerial skills. The question is where are the skills going to come from. Our answer is that from Africans in the Diaspora and the rest of the world. The training of new graduates will take at least a generation or longer but the skills are needed now if further deepening of poverty and marginlisation is to be reverse. This is the rationale for AfricaRecruit project” New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Steering Committee March 2005 Recognition and Acknowledgement at Strategic Levels Diaspora the 6 th region of the African Union

Building on Social and Human Capital Diaspora are a very valuable resource and powerful force or tool for rebuilding their country Sheer quantum and quantity of nationals resident abroad working as professionals and academics, whose expertise could be harnessed for national development” The experience, values, knowledge and creativity of the Diaspora are very much required to join with home-based efforts to ensure the overall improvement in the African condition “The African Diaspora have long contributed to developing capacity in their country of origin, through activities such as setting up facilities, institutions and conferences. However, it is crucial that better use is made of their enormous potential. One such example is making greater use of skilled expatriates to train African nationals as part of exchange process, including through the UNDP’s Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Networks (TOKEN) project. Another is encouraging further links between business or universities in Africa and their country of residence” Commission for Africa

The Concept  To attract & encourage those who have left  To recruit from a global pool  To retain quality skills  To tap into skills while they remain in the West  To build human resource capacity  To inform policy To facilitate and enable traffic in the opposite direction

Service Delivery What is vital is mobilizing the Diaspora using a vehicle or mechanism that would collect and disseminate pertinent information about the opportunities, challenges, prospects and issues that the Diaspora needs to know, in order to make informed decisions and plans to engage constructively with their country. Essentially, valuable and practical information would be the premier ingredient necessary to convince, mobilize or energize the Diaspora to play responsible roles in rebuilding /contributing to their countries of origin.

What is the Process...  Skills Mapping - using innovative technology  Communication programme on/offline - seminars; road shows & outreach  Channel and Direct - Strategic alliances with all stakeholders  Transfer and retain within Africa  Showcase success stories of return  Foster a debate on how to contribute to a Africa -wide skills strategy between both host and sending countries  Work on creating an enabling environment that will change attitudes and perspectives of the Diaspora to working in Africa  Provide a framework that will attract investment and create “attractive jobs”  Skill transfer including opportunities to self-employed African’s  Develop and implement sound policies e.g. dual nationality  Provide incentives encourage transparency and good governance  Adopt best practices

AfricaRecruit Building framework Findajobinafrica facilitating access attracting the best Achieving the balance - turning the tide Human Capital Develop & Retain Attract & reclaim 500 Diaspora in a year HR roundtables best practice implementation Recommendations for policy Many Africans retained in Africa mobility of skills

Online- tools Website- FJA dissemination Target Diaspora groups Target related professional groups Mailing list over 120,000 Mail to over 269 career centres in Universities based in Europe, USA Mail to over 369 African Universities Banner displays Links to over 300 website Offline- tools Strategic partnership – Stakeholders such as government, Institutions, Donors, Private Sector and the Diaspora Socio-religious events Conduct or facilitate events Stands at large events Presentations at events e.g.Business Schools, Career event in USA Targeted media such as BenTV, Advertising or Editorials Word of mouth Third party referral by satisfied users

Breakdown by Nationalities (Sending Country) One out of every 35 person worldwide is a Diaspora 60% of the Diaspora are in the West 48 % of Diaspora are women ( Source IOM) Every African country has a pool of highly skilled personnel in the Diaspora

Breakdown by Location (Host Country) Globally dispersed Larger number of Diaspora in USA

Skills Capabilities Over 1 million hits a month, 20,000 users a month of the Diaspora from all industries access jobs at in all industries, total entries on skills database 58,000 plus, mailing list of 120,000 pluswww.findajobinafrica.com

Framework.. Africans in Africa- joint partnership between colleges, universities and business Africans in the Diaspora - education and professionals build links to transfer and build Review changes Vision AfricaRecruit Understanding the HR perspectives Understand the structures and systems Identifying best practices Recruit Build skills Transfer skills Dissemination

Harnessing Diaspora Skills- 1 of 2 Recruitment: Restrictions: Brain Circulation enabled Attracting skills using updated means of communication- access globally for both African’s and Recruiters Attracting the best skill- objective vs. subjective Open and transparent recruitment e.g job and career fairs inside and outside Africa Process using best practice full job description, time to recruit informing unsuccessful candidates why Retention:  Job vs. Career  Working conditions  Transparency and good governance at the workplace  Movement of skills within and outside Africa  Movement of skills within organisations and between organisations

Opportunities to tap… Engage energy and interests of Diaspora Link with available networks Data on skilled professionals abroad Links with migrant professionals network Develop opportunities to share experience and skills with their colleagues ‘back home’ on a consultancy or shared approach basis, or in fact on a ‘virtual’ basis. Harness the motivation and skills of the Diaspora Focus on temporary return & improve chances for permanent return Improve remuneration including “non-monetary” De-linking remuneration from normal government salary structures Better salaries, benefits, and working conditions Opportunities for flexibility Training options e.g. links Soft Landing package

Harnessing Diaspora Skills- 2 of 2 Recruitment Agents used should have: Resourcing both Diaspora and Recruiter:  Ethical value  Access hidden/unhidden networks- many agencies are unaware of the various informal and social networks of the Diaspora  Capacity building vs. profit Return:  Right information to the Diaspora – enabling informed decision  Recruiting budget to enable a global access yet local  HR personnel with capacity to develop a thriving workforce- retention  Effective strategies to facilitate and enable the return of valuable skills- soft landing packages

Sabbaticals areas of critical shortages or difficult to attract countries Mentorship Consultancy Interims capacity building e.g. SME’s start up, new programmes Interns for graduates e.g. 2 nd generation Diaspora Exchange in areas skills transfer e.g. donor programmes Voluntary in areas with limited capacity to compete in a global market place e.g. Health and Education more support in this areas by donors Permanent Methods of Engaging the Skills –circular movement of skills process ADDED VALUE Repatriate – Expatriate Skills …. Skills Chair/Advisory/Board of regional organisations

Challenges: Constructive Diaspora Engagement  Identifying the Diaspora & access (hidden majority vs. obvious minority)  Lack of clear goals and objectives- why the Diaspora  Conflicting ideologies (service vs. reward)  Misconceptions- real or perceived  Communication- lack, poor, miscommunication  Image projection of Africa in the West  Unrealistic expectations  Poor/no links between host and native country  Resources  Lack of update and relevant experience  Mortgages, debt and realistic packages  Lack of updated/relevant skills, gaps in careers – host governments to enable Diaspora build skills

Challenges-2  Lack or poor investments in human resources  Poor public services “social services of Africa”  Increasing labour mobility- nationality, sub & regionally  Perceived level of nepotism  Perceived level of preference for expats by donors, investors  Lack of flexibility  Long drawn out recruitment process  Access  Emphasis on qualifications vs skills  Lack or poor support for employees in the work place  Traditional recruitment based on tribes, colour

Challenges - 3  Changing dynamics- Ex Diaspora vs. Current Diaspora  Favourable immigration laws vs. restrictive laws  Lack or poor access to ICT  HR administrators vs. HR architects  Aggressive and Commercial recruitment agents for the West  Demand from the West “Appointment of the heads of international institutions should be decided upon by open competition which looks for the best candidate rather than by traditions which limit these appointments by nationality” Commission for Africa – Recommendation on leaving No-One Out: Investing in people

Solutions- Adapting attraction & recruitment strategies for Africa  Establish an attraction and recruitment unit  Adopt E-recruitment to attract the skills in the Diaspora  Developing sustainable recruitment capacity  Understanding and building employers’ brand, such as an attractive career and professional development  Implementing both short and long term strategies, such as international attraction programmes  Establishing academic and professional networks  Successfully placing highly skilled candidates (success stories)

Solutions  Communication- one way/two way  Training and Development- skill transfer  Infrastructure  Working conditions- salaries, benefits, child care  Remuneration based  Job analysis- Job description matched by education, training and competency  Very strong labour laws seen to be enforced  Soft landing packages  Disseminate success stories  Highlight the benefits of going home  Innovative programmes

Increasing number of Diaspora returnees, enquiries and web stats Increasing number of open jobs for recruitment Increasing number of employers adopting strategy enabling them to target local and international candidates Increasing calls for recruitment fairs Decreasing reliance on experts More organisations investing in workforce More organisations adopting best practice Outcomes so far Indicators Recommendations Policy level Mobility of critical skills within Africa Development of ToR for investors to reflect building and transfer of skills Partnership level for AfricaRecruit Develop extensive skills database Africa Virtual HR Forum Facilitate Africa Skills Development agency Virtual HR-Recruitment forum Mobilise more Diaspora using ICT Support from Donors and International governments

Case Study- mobilising healthcare professionals in the Diaspora Mobilisation of Diaspora all stakeholders inside and outside Africa attended by over 500 with over 400 Diaspora healthcare professionals completing the online survey Why they left Personal Professional Political-Economic Some do intend to return Need for a coherent global effort and sustained national programmes at policy and operational levels Some are now being facilitated to

What Can be Done in the Caribbean  Fund an outreach programme to engage the Diaspora and get a baseline understanding of the key stakeholders and their objectives  Online information on job opportunities and vacancies which is actively marketed to the Diaspora  Diaspora to organise themselves into networks, organisations to enable effective engagement  Build strategic partnerships between other host countries to enable transglobal policy enhancers  Circular migration encouraged removing the “fear factor”

What Can be Done in the Caribbean  Balanced representation of Trinidad and Tobago  Identify champions Diaspora leads with credibility  Process of enabling the Diaspora to build skills for transfer  Building a database of skills, where and what  Showcase steps taken that have been of value to the Diaspora e.g. bottom up engagement

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